How to Make the Right Video: 5 Questions to Get You Started

Posted On: August 12, 2013

In the words of Douglas Adams, “don’t panic.” It can be an intimidating process if you are entering the world of production for the first time – or even for the hundredth time. There’s a lot of production jargon and lingo, and talking graphics with a pretentious creative director type can be overwhelming – and not to mention frustrating.

But don’t worry, here at Q we’ve got your back. We want to ensure that creating a video is an easy and seamless process for you.

Here are a couple of things you and your team should consider:

1. AUDIENCE. Who is your audience? Who are you making this video for? If you are creating an instructional or celebration video for your employees, the tone should be very different then creating a sales pitch or a PSA.

2. LANGUAGE. Get a sense of the type of language your audience is comfortable with. Is this the first time you are introducing your company or product to the audience? Ensure that the video is clear and concise; your pitch should only last 15 seconds and then reiterate that information 2 or 3 times to keep it “sticky”. Are you speaking to your employees? Then you can use a lot of the language that is used internally and you can be confident that your audience understands the biz. This is also a good time to think about whether you need a piece in both English and French.

3. SCRIPT. How do you want to deliver this information? At Q media, our motto is “We Tell Stories” because our talent lies in our ability to discover the story behind your company and employees. We do this through a series of interviews with key people within your business, structured around the information you want presented. Or would you prefer a delivery of scripted information straight to camera? We have a large roster of talent to help you find the right person for the job.

4. TALENT. Who do you want on-screen? Is your CEO an amazing public speaker? They could be a great person to deliver information to camera. Perhaps you have several people in your office who are very passionate about their job and your company. Our Q Media crew is relatively small, and we pride ourselves on making sure every employee or volunteer feels comfortable in the “hot seat” in front of the camera. What about the people who benefit from your services? For non-profits, these folks are your best ambassadors, especially when they can give testimonials about how your services/programs have directly impacted them. This is true for businesses as well – think about the customers/client that have had a very positive experience with your company.

5. LENGTH. Always keep it short and sweet. The internet, smart phones and email means that our time and concentration is always split. A 3-minute video is actually an extremely long piece of content. YouTube statistics state that viewer interest drops off at the 2.5-minute mark. Viral videos are rarely longer than 1-minute. If you think you have 10+ minutes of content that you need to get across, consider breaking it up into 3-4 bite sized pieces of video, each one focused on a different topic/theme.

You will be amazed at how sitting down with your team and answering these questions will open up some great dialogue about the type of video you want to produce. And of course, we are always happy to start this dialogue with you. We are, at our core, storytellers, and there is always a story to be told.

Cute. Committed. Caring. Caitie is our producer and director of client services who runs the Q Media show. From booking crew to party planning, Caitie is the go-to gal for all things that help Q run its wheels smoothly. Learn more about Caitie! ...